Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

I got to go to a baseball game as part of my workday.  I thought about eating first but understood that we were eating lunch first (rather than at the ballpark).  Well, that was partially true.  We ate at Friday's at the ballpark.  It does not have the full TGI Friday's menu.  They did have an allergen menu--it showed what allergens were in each menu item.  Unfortunately, it didn't break out parts of dishes, so almost everything had milk listed (since there is cheese in almost everything).  I ended up going for a "least bad" choice, I think, with shrimp skewers and broccoli.  I'm not supposed to eat shellfish, and there was soy, but it seemed all the chicken and fish dishes had wheat and/or dairy in ways I couldn't figure out what modifications to make.  We also had chips and salsa at Sliders after the game.

I went to Sprouts for some groceries, limiting myself to an hour.  I spent a lot of time comparing items and trying to figure out what I'm doing.  I wanted to get some protein powder for smoothies, but no whey (dairy) or soy.  That limited my choices quite a bit.  I actually bought 3 to try, including hemp and rice powders.  I was a little annoyed that I didn't know they have a 10% discount if you buy over an amount in the vitamin/personal care section at once.  I was probably about halfway there.  I also looked for alternative milk.  I decided to pick up a hemp milk and coconut milk.  Buying broth--vegetable and chicken--proved the most difficult choice.  There is yeast extract in many, and soy in others.  I was able to find vegetable broth without either ingredient but gave up on the chicken broth.  I found the waffles that the student recommended and they looked very promising.  Except for the soy flour.  *sigh*

I baked my spaghetti squash last night so I could have it for dinner tonight.  I made half of it with marinara sauce, fresh parsley and basil.  Not bad.  It needed cheese--I may try some goat cheese on the other half since that was acceptable on my treatment plan.

A gift, a survey (or three), a snack.

One of my sisters told me the other day that I should expect a package today and she wanted to make sure someone would be home for it.  I was working at home, and I got the package in the early afternoon.  I was having a stress-filled day, so maybe I overreacted.  She sent me a beautiful box of chocolate covered strawberries.  I opened the box and read her note and then stood there crying.  When I told my husband about the rough day I had, especially that part, he did not get it at all.  I guess part of my frustration was that I don't know what to say to her--I should thank her but how?  Thanks for sending hubby and friends this awesome gift?  FML.

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I took a survey about MS fatigue, as well as my monthly monitoring survey, and the NARCOMS Patient Decision Making Survey.  The last one is an interesting exercise in hypothetical situations--it asks a lot of "if a drug existed that would do this positive (such as cure MS) but has this negative (blindness in one or both eyes or a quick and painless death), would you take the drug.  It gives different odds of having the negative actually happen: 1:1000, 1: 10000, 1:100000, tiniest chance.  I know that I logically would avoid a treatment that would kill me or permanently blind me in both eyes, but if I was actually faced with the situation, I'm not certain that logic would have any place.

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My friend, A, got me these maple pecans.  They are like candied nuts, but there are also dried cherries and apples as well as walnuts.  They are pretty good dessert-ish snacks.  While I was looking for a photo, I found their website which says they have a gluten-free facility.  Not all of their products are okay for me--at least one had soy--but it's a good start.

No salad, no GPS, no buns.

Yesterday was my last day in San Diego.  Before leaving, I decided to get a salad for lunch.  The restaurant I found was nice and I got a table outside to enjoy the weather.  It was an expensive house salad; it didn't even have meat on it.  After I explained that I couldn't have wheat or diary, the waitress said the candied walnuts were purchased so she didn't know if they had wheat.  My salad came with a bunch of parmesan cheese on top and the walnuts on the side.  I sent the salad back since I couldn't just take the cheese off.  I didn't understand the walnuts on the side.  When my salad came back, there were two pieces of bread slid into the side of my salad, so I didn't even eat the whole thing.  As if everything didn't suck enough, I didn't even get a refill on my ice tea.

After my stop near Indio/Palm Springs, I actually got lost trying to get back to the freeway.  My phone's GPS didn't find my actual location the entire trip, and this time was no different.  I had a total meltdown but my husband was able to get me back to the freeway.  I may have been more ready to have a meltdown since I was stressed about making the stop there and getting home so very late and, and, and....

I went to lunch with some coworkers today.  We went to Teakwoods.  There was one thing on the menu I thought might be okay.  I had the char-grilled chicken sandwich with no bun, no mayo, substitute ranch beans instead of fries, add a side of salsa.  Not too bad--they make their salsa there.

Buffets are not my friends.

I've skipped the freebie breakfast every day at the conference since I can't eat eggs.  There is also a freebie lunch, which I have skipped.  I went in to the area to find someone and saw that the lunch was buffet of salad (with croutons and ranch dressing) and Mexican food (with cheese on everything), so I went out to Seaport Village.  I found a Greek restaurant and had an excellent salad with grilled chicken, no feta, and a side of rice as a substitute for the pita.

I talked to a couple of my previous coworkers about dinner plans.  There was an event dinner but I opted out since it was a buffet and expensive; my previous coworkers were not going either.  Unfortunately, they skipped the end of the day and got an early start on their evening.  And my phone did not deliver their texts until much too late for me to join them for a seafood dinner.  And I found myself upset.  I have eaten almost all of my meals alone while I've been traveling.  I'm a social eater, but this makes me feel like one of those crazy people who eat in private to hide their eating from others.

I don't feel funny...or normal.

Maybe I've just been trying too hard to have normal meals.  So today, I had a banana on my way to the conference, a "granola" bar for a snack, and some orange juice during the refreshment break.  I also took a green tea packet but never got around to making it.  (BTW, why does Lipton put soy in some of it's tea bags?  That's ridiculous.)

I ran into some people I used to work with about 5 years ago.  One of the guys (I didn't know very well; he was in department next to mine) told me how he missed my sense of humor and sarcasm.  I thought that was pretty cool--I don't think I'm very funny most of the time!  A few of the others were going to lunch, and they invited me to go.  The restaurant had mostly fried seafood but the girl at the counter helped me out very nicely.  I had grilled salmon (not wild, sorry) and coleslaw (vinegar, not mayo) with ice tea.  I considered having the salmon salad but they had packaged dressing so I didn't think that would work so well.

I was invited to attend the Padres game, so I went back to my room and made oatmeal before going.  I had peanuts at the game.  (D-backs were not doing so great when I left.)  I was handed a bunch of vouchers for free Jack-in-the-Box tacos.  I guess I can give them to my husband....  When I got back to my room, I ate the leftover Indian food from yesterday.  I had some grapes for something "sweet."

Dreaming of art purchases...and a cure for cancer

After eating my leftover (cold) paella for breakfast, I headed to the conference.  My hair looked fine but when I went to the restroom later, I almost didn't recognize myself--my hair looked so bad!  At registration, I found out that lunch was included today.  Hmm.  Since box lunches were provided, there was only an hour for lunch.  At the urging of the guy sitting next to me in the workshop, I went to see what they were serving.  Even after I said I was going to go out and find lunch, he was trying to tell me I could eat the vegetarian sandwich.  There's something wrong with people.

I headed to Seaport Village at a speed walk.  Once I got there, I found that the restaurants I thought I might be able to eat at were at the far end.  I had chicken tacos with beans and rice, no cheese all around.  I had a (very over priced) green ice tea at a coffee shop also.  I sped walked back to the Convention Center and barely got there in time.  And I was sweaty; I put my hair up in a clip.

There was a happy hour reception where I visited a lot of sponsor booths to get swag.  There were two food stations: an Italian (pasta and bread) and Chinese (soy all around), so I didn't eat.  I had some water at one of the sponsor booths.  When I left, I went to the hotel to change and drop off my stuff.

I headed out to find dinner.  On the way, I found the Chuck Jones Gallery.  As soon as I walked in, I saw Bugs Bunny: in an airplane, playing poker, with Gossamer...it.  was.  awesome.  The lady working there said the gallery (store) is owned by the Jones family and she showed me a lot of pieces including several that I would love to have in our game room, a print of the mermaid cartoon, and Bugs and Daffy playing the piano.

I went to an Indian restaurant and explained to the waiter that I couldn't have wheat or dairy.  He made some recommendations; the chicken dishes could be modified so they weren't marinated in yogurt.  So I had Vindaloo with rice and a mango juice drink.  It was very good and I have leftovers for tomorrow.

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I really have little to no faith in the agencies regulating our food and environment.  So I can't say I'm surprised by the possibility that the FDA is suppressing the cure for cancer This documentary thoroughly documents and proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that cancer can be effectively treated without toxic chemotherapy or radiation, and it exposes the orchestrated effort made by the FDA to suppress this treatment and to jail the doctor providing it.   This is very long, but interesting: at least watch the first half hour.  I have to say: the side effects of cancer treatment--chemo and radiation drugs--should NOT be leukemia.  I don't think the government should be able to patent anything.  And I'm kind of sick of seeing the way the same people show up all over the place, going from "regulated" business to regulator and back and forth like there is no conflict of interest.

I see also that the FDA is fighting Dr. Oz for stating that our apple juice has arsenic in it.  I don't know if these things are true, but I think it's worth considering.  (And of course I'm skeptical of a cancer cure as well--we know there's big money in treatments.)

A good doctor visit = no crying

At U-fest, my friend insisted I needed this shirt to wear to my doctor's appointment.  Today, I had a visit with Dr. H and the student H, so I wore the shirt.  I think H was a little worried that the others in the lobby were embarrassed, but Dr. H seemed amused.  She also stated that I seemed happier--um, cause I'm not crying?

They both felt different pulse points and think I have more energy but my liver is still struggling (as is expected due to the cancer drug I took, most likely).  I explained the pain issues seem to be around (before and after) digestive issues; I don't feel they have gone away but I am having more consistent (timing) bathroom time, although not in great shape.  I also mentioned that I thought I had a reaction to the tikka masala I ate at Pita Jungle although it wasn't supposed to have any of my allergens--Dr. H said several people have had complaints about reacting to PJ food recently.  H said she would send me some info about where/what to eat while in San Diego (and she is traveling to SD next week.)

After they discussed my treatment, H put a couple hot Epsom salt towels on my back.  After that, she massaged castor oil on my back.  Then she wiped it off.  Next, I laid on my back and she did some acupuncture, including some shoulder points.  In addition, they added some more pellets to my treatment, something called Arsenicum. as well as a higher dose Phosphorus for when I am having a painful episode.

H is graduating so she kind of offered to work with me at another location or I will continue with Dr. H and a new student, which is more likely the route I will take.

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I packed for my trip before going to see Dr. H, so I stopped to fill up on gas, then to Robeks for a drink.  The girl working there told me that they can substitute other ingredients for any of the dairy, so I had a fruit smoothie, minus the sherbet and yogurt, and added carrot juice.  I also had a Larabar cashew cookie bar (full size) since I had only had OJ for breakfast.  Yeah, that's why my tummy was very, very loudly growling during my appointment!  Then I stopped for a mani/pedi so I will look more professional (polished) before heading out of town.

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The drive was uneventful, I'm checked in, and I walked over to an area that I know has restaurants, several ethnic restaurants I thought would be worth checking out.  Instead, I found a Spanish restaurant.  If it was my last meal on earth, I would totally want a traditional paella with some specific tapas that are not on my current diet!  Since I can't have the seafood either, I had a vegetable paella preceded by a bowl of gazpacho.  Yummo!  I have half my paella leftover for a cold breakfast tomorrow.